Budapest - Bucharest

[Merseysider]

Hello all,

I'll be making this journey by train in early summer as part of a longer railtrip from England to Georgia / Armenia (aware of the Turkey - Georgia border gap in the railway!) and had a couple of questions.

I'm undecided between taking the day train, or one of the overnight trains.

Apparently public consumption of alcohol in Hungary & Romania is somewhere between frowned upon and illegal - obviously I'd like to enjoy a few beers in the afternoon (I'm scouse after all) but would this only be possible in a private berth?

The information on seat61 is that only 2nd class accommodation is available on the day train, which for a 17 hour journey wouldn't be ideal is this still correct? That said, I don't particularly fancy being woken up at 2am for a passport check...

Any info on whether there is likely to be working AC / wifi / plug sockets on either the day train or the Dacia Express / Ister would be appreciated!

I would however like to see some of the scenery, which, besides the day train, according to seat61 the Ister would be best for.

Anyone who's made this journey before, however long ago, and anyone with tips for rail travel in Turkey / Georgia / Armenia please do share...

Cheers

 

[peteb]

vagonWEB » Řazení vlaků » 2023 » START IC » IC 75

I'm travelling on IC 75 Budapest d0910 to Brasov a2300 in May, en route to Bucharest. Wagonweb see link above shows this as only two through carriages, both open seconds. I decided to split the journey at Brasov as it looks interesting, continuing a few days later. Wagonweb should show your train, and typical carriage configurations. Delve a little deeper into the specific carriage types and you may be able to see if there are sockets, Aircon etc. Romanian railways website also shows carriage layouts for Romania to Hungary trains so you might strike lucky and get a compartment but word has it these fill up so drinking beer might still be tricky.......and there don't seem to be many buffet cars on these trains.

 

[Merseysider]

Thanks for the info - and I had completely forgotten about Wagonweb! I too have heard Brasov is worth a visit - I have it down for later in the year. Enjoy

 

[peteb]

Yes wagonweb went a bit sketchy during COVID but seems back to full strength now...a great resource

 

[SandsofEss]

As it happens, I’ve just arrived in Bucharest off from Dacia Express from Vienna this very afternoon.

We booked a couchette. It had passable AC and openable windows, and one plug socket for the room.

A Romanian bar car is attached at Arad, which sells beer, wines and spirits, so I doubt you’d have trouble drinking on the train even if you didn’t have your own compartment.

 

[rg177]

I've never had issues drinking on trains in either Romania or Hungary.

I even remember walking down the street in Bucharest with a can - as it was such a hot day. Probably not the wisest decision in hindsight.

Similarly on Regiojet between Prague and Košice, the night train is supposedly a dry train. I've sat in my compartment and had a chat with traincrew as they checked tickets while I sipped on a beer - nothing said.

In most cases it'll be common sense. Nobody will give you the third degree for having a few quiet cans on a long-distance train. On the other hand, drinking on the Metro in Budapest/Bucharest or being drunk and disorderly will get you more attention.

 

[Iskra]

Steve Marsh on youtube has just posted a video of the night train on this route which shows it well. Looks fairly standard.

 

[MarcVD]

I'll be making this journey by train in early summer as part of a longer railtrip from England to Georgia / Armenia (aware of the Turkey - Georgia border gap in the railway!) and had a couple of questions.

Although there shouldn't be a gap anymore if things went according to plans.
So, what's the status about this Turkey-Georgia rail link ? Is the line in operation for freight ? And what happened to those staedler trains that were supposed to ply that line a few years ago already ? Anyone knows ?

 

[WideRanger]

I took the Dacia Express in September 2022 from Vienna to Bucherest. I had a 2-berth sleeper cabin. Working AC, and one plug in the room. The attendant had some problems getting the mechanism to put away the beds to work, and it all feels a bit 'worn'. But lots of fun nontheless.

We had no problems with consumption of alcohol or food (which we bought before getting on the train in Vienna), and as @SandsofEss mentions, a buffet car (albeit sparse) is added in Romania.

The passport checks were pretty quick and simple (but do mean being woken in the night).

It's worth noting that once the train gets into Romania it trundles very slowly most of the way. So save some booze for the daytime stretch...

But make sure you are sober on arrival at Bucherest. Lots of scam-artists in the station.

 

[Zamracene749]

No problem at all drinking alcohol on board trains in Romania and Hungary.

Last autumn in Hungary I was moaned at by a security bloke in Kecskemet station for drinking a can of beer on the platform, he intimated that drinking is only allowed in the smoking area or onboard the train!

If this is an actual rule rule on stations, a local anomoly or he was just on a power trip I have no idea, I politely thanked him and boarded my train.

What you won't find in either country is an abundance of places selling beer, or indeed anything at all in or near all but the biggest stations.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Don’t take the direct Budapest - Bucharest night train. Take IC407 ‘Corona’ Budapest-Keleti 17.40 to Brasov 09.43 and then one of the daytime trains to Bucharest.

The Corona is one of the government subsidised trains connecting the Hungarian-speaking minority in Transylvania with their motherland. It is not intended to make money, so it carries a full-service restaurant car with draught beer, wine and hot cooked food. I paid just €60 for an Interrail reservation in a solo sleeper in a beautiful old East German WLAB car. Photos below from February 2023.

The train leaves Budapest at a sociable hour and the restaurant is open until the border crossing at Biharkeresztes / Episcopia Bihor around 21.00CET/22.00EET. Sleeper passengers get a voucher for a hot breakfast as well.

The Corona does not appear in some booking engines, including DB and the Interrail planner. I made the reservation on the MÁV website.

 

[dutchflyer]

Have done both trips-long, long ago. In fact right now sitting in a train DE->DK, to visit the new tram in Odense. ON a 50% discount InterRail from last year promotion. But right now they announce there is a disturbance on the electric lines so possible delays/cancellations.
B-B was about the first long-distance trip I made-in communist times, so thats not much worth for today. Just 1 advice: if really doing it daytime, break it, far too long for in 1 go. Myself stayed in a BB-chain Hotel last night (similar to Ibis, always close to stations in DE, less so in FR).
Did the trip from TR to GEorgia and Armenia some yrs ago, flew to TR as it was way cheaper.
There are 2 possible ways: I took an overnite bus from Ankara to Hopa (last town along Black Sea Coast)-then its (share)taxi/dolmus to border, cross over, same other side to reach Batumi, the main GE town on the Black Sea coast. There are also a few through coaches (even going as far as Azeri/Baku), these are better booked advance. In TR the main means of overland transport is the bus (coach for you) and you can still just go to any main otogar and be on your way the next hour. I guess both trains and buses in GE are by now way, way better as they were then.
But as railfan you likely want the train-there was a recent post about this East/Dogu-express. There is still NO train onward into GE from last stop and in fact it is-was quite a feat to get across on normal transport. If wanting better connections-get off at ERzurum and bus it from there-also via/along that coast. This route will cost you 1 day longer. And if doing soon: wait at least till Ramadan and the big party afters has finished. But if doing that-Do consider also poppping into Armenija-an old-Russky style overnight train, dead slow- goes from Tbilisi to Yerevan. Both GE and AM only want passports and nothing else from Europeans. Azerbaijzhan however wants you to make a visa advance.
In case you do not want to backtrack all the way or for others thinking about it- WIZZair is the cheap budget airline that links all East-EUR countries, including these. To reach GB from there you will have to find some convenient change over town somewhere in HU or PL. Hope this does not disturb too many hooked on the rails.

 

[Merseysider]

Appreciate the feedback, all

Take IC407 ‘Corona’ Budapest-Keleti 17.40 to Brasov 09.43 and then one of the daytime trains to Bucharest.

Will definitely look into this. Nice photos!

Both GE and AM only want passports and nothing else from Europeans.

Indeed - and I am hoping to get the sleeper train to Yerevan and back. That formed part of my decision making - I've so far only visited countries which are visa free or visa on arrival. Those visas are all a money making scam

I have 11 days between arriving in Budapest off the Stuttgart sleeper and my flight from Tbilisi back to London leaving - should have no problem fitting in a couple days tourism in Istanbul.

No problem at all drinking alcohol on board trains in Romania and Hungary.

Thank goodness I've just arrived in Moldova off the sleeper from Bucharest and had no problem finding some decent German beer in Bucharest North station. Neither the train staff nor customs cared about the beer I had.

It's worth noting that once the train gets into Romania it trundles very slowly most of the way. So save some booze for the daytime stretch...

I noticed something similar - slow out of Bucharest and only really got some speed on the Moldovan side.

Cheers for the info everyone. I'll make my mind up soon enough - sleeper tickets for 1st August have just gone on sale and I know day tickets are 60/90 days depending on which country's website is used - so they'll be on sale in a few weeks.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Will definitely look into this. Nice photos!

Maybe I should have been a little more effusive with my post - I think the Corona is one of the best night trains in Europe. For the following reasons:

1. Interesting equipment. Varieties of MÁV and CFR locomotives, then 3 or 4 x Bmz, WRmz, 1 or 2 x Bcmz, WLABmz. The WLABmz sleeper tends to draw from the pool of much older East German equipment.
2. Full-service restaurant car! Cheap beer, wine and food; and the option of a cooked breakfast.
3. Possibly the best timings for a night train. Early evening departure from Budapest, giving you plenty of time for dinner. Amenable hour for passport controls before bed, a good night's sleep and then a not-too-early arrival in Brasov.
4. Thanks to the Hungarian government subsidies, the train seems to be cheaper than the direct Budapest-Bucharest trains, certainly for accommodations.
5. Amazing scenery in Transylvania.

I absolutely loved it, and thought it was a great way to enter Romania for the first time.

 

[AdamWW]

Maybe I should have been a little more effusive with my post - I think the Corona is one of the best night trains in Europe. For the following reasons:

Though the name now has some negative connotations...

(You've made me want to travel on this now though).

 

[jamesontheroad]

Though the name now has some negative connotations...

(You've made me want to travel on this now though).

Everyone has to catch it sometime.

(Ba-dum-tsss)

 

[AdamWW]

Everyone has to catch it sometime.

(Ba-dum-tsss)

Ouch!